Game and Fish reports artifacts looted, vandalized

LANDER (WNE) — The Game and Fish on Monday sent out a press release offering a reward of up to $10,000 for any tips related to a recent looting and vandalism incident in the Dubois area.

According to Crystal C'Bearing with the Northern Arapaho Tribal Historic Preservation Office, there are both federal and state penalties for looting and vandalism of archeological sites. 

On the federal level, trafficking or excavating archeological resources can carry up to a $20,000 fine and a sentence of up to two years in prison, plus an additional year of supervised release, per the Archaeological Resources Protection Act. 

The state of Wyoming also has its own statute protecting its cultural heritage, updated during the most recent legislative session. 

Removing "any part of any [prehistoric] ruins or deposit" can result in up to a $100 fine and up to six months in jail; damaging petroglyphs, pictograms, or other rock art can result in up to a $750 fine and up to six months in jail; if the artifacts removed have a cumulative value of $500 or more, it could result in felony charges, up to a $10,000 fine, and up to 10 years jail time.

Game and Fish Information and Education Supervisor Rene Schell said some other sites in the area have seen damage this summer. If people happen to come across cultural sites and artifacts such as rock art while they're in the area, she said, she hopes they can appreciate them from a distance and leave them undisturbed.

The Game and Fish is offering limited information about the recent looting and vandalism incident, hoping to avoid drawing more attention to the site and thereby increasing the risk of more vandalism or looting.

If anyone knows anything about either this most recent incident or ones that may have occurred earlier in the year, tips can be sent to the Game and Fish via its tip line, 877-943-3847, or at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/stop-poaching. 

This story was published on Oct. 22, 2025.